It's been a while

Once again I need to apologize to my faithful blog readers =). I planned on posting all about Tyler’s 5th birthday party and me starting school, but life has been interesting these past few weeks. I’ll still get around to those even if it is a little late =). First I have to explain what threw our life a little loop and the reason I have not felt like blogging. I hate blogging sad news or about my stress, so I tend to wait until I have something brighter to share after I drop the bomb of bad news, so here comes the bomb =).
Josh got laid off. Yep, it happened. He knew it was inevitable because the office had run out of work and had already laid off so many people. Thankfully they told him in advance and waited until the beginning of the month, so our insurance would last the rest of the month. They have been very supportive and as helpful as possible in assisting Josh in getting another job. Despite our knowing it was coming, we still cried and would just ask each other over and over “what are we going to do?” The first few days where really emotional, but it got easier after that. Josh has worked all day, everyday looking online for job postings and submitting resumes all over the country (thus the reason I couldn’t blog =) LOL). When he wasn’t online, I was on there looking for job postings for me. It was frustrating, but once we got past the initial “what do we do” pity party of ours, it got better. We started spending time together doing free activities like playing at the park, going on walks, and playing soccer at the nearby High school field. Which by the way, Josh made a good impression on the coach there, who told him to look him up next year because he may want his help with the team (wish he needed help now) lol =). Yea, my hubby still has it =) LOL.
Anyways, as I was saying…..Our families have been so encouraging and have assured us they would help in anyway they can. My sister and Mom have been my listening ears even when all I could do was cry. I have had so much friend and family support that it has made me strong. Thank goodness for those that have been through this and worse, who have offered strength in knowing it all works out. We went weeks with only getting rejection e-mails or letters which would have made us feel helpless, but by then we started feeling like everything was going to be fine.
I would love to say everything is fine and Josh is getting a regular pay check, but that’s not the case. Not yet anyway, however, I know it will happen. I don’t know when, but we are both faithful and know we are extremely blessed. The great news is that Josh had an interview today and has another tomorrow for a job he ran across by some miracle. I had phone interviews today for two very different jobs and have an important decision to make this week. We have been so blessed. I hope and pray Josh can be hired to something soon and ask that you keep us in your prayers. I have much more to blog, but it must wait….maybe tomorrow =)… I promise it will be soon =) LOL

More embarrassment

While Josh was gone at the Suns game last night, I took the boys to the park and the grocery store. As we were walking around the extremely busy store Nathan decides to poke my chest and say very loudly “Mommy, you have big boobies!” I was surprised and told him to shush, but my reaction made him laugh and he said it even louder. Luckily I had turned down a empty isle right before he had burst out into that comment so I did not even turn around to see if anyone heard him from where I had just come from =).

Nathan must be in that stage where he has realized the differences between boys and girls, because lately he has definitely taken a notice to women’s chests. =) LOL
My Sister in law may kill me for writing about this one, but I can’t help it. I won’t name names, LOL and hope she forgives me =). I was explaining to the boys that there was a baby in her tummy and they were waiting to see if they could feel the baby kick. All of a sudden Nathan touches her boob and asks “is there a baby in there too?” =) LOL It was too funny!

Skinny

I’ve been meaning to put this story on here for a few weeks now. One day Tyler came up to me, rubbed my tummy and said “I like the way you feel” I kinda laughed, but that’s not the first time he has said that to me. He hugs me or rubs my arm and says that quite often. When he was a baby he used to have to rub our arm or tummy or hold our hand to sleep, so he has always been a touchy kid. But this time he also said “Mom, you are so skinny” I glanced at Josh and was thinking okay, who is Tyler comparing me to that would make him think I’m skinny? He goes on and on about how skinny I am and then Tyler rubs my arm and says “yeah Mom you’re so skinny….. Look at all your skin! I don’t have as much skin as you do, so that makes you skinny” =) LOL Oh so that’s what he was thinking! Josh and I laughed so hard for so long about that one =) He confused skinny with fleshy =) LOL I thought it was too funny, this kids just cracks us up!

From one of his friends, Tyler got a costume of “Thing” from the “Fantastic Four” comic for his Birthday and he was kind of scared of it at first. It took a lot of convincing to finally get him to try it on and when he did, Nathan pointed to the stuffed pectorals and said “Tyler has boobies!.... Mommy, why does Tyler have boobies?” =) LOL we were all laughing so hard, we couldn’t answer the question. So, of course since we were laughing he had to keep pinching them and asking over and over, which made us laugh even more. Crazy boys, they are so funny.

Leaving Utah, First time on an Airplane, and Disneyland =)

I just added some pictures to the last post I did, so check them out if you haven't already.
I have some catching up to do =)

When our Bishop discovered Tyler loved trains, he invited us over so the boys could play with his train collection. We came by just a couple days before we left Utah and Tyler could not contain his excitement. For days he would say "I can't wait to go to Bishop's house and see the trains" Both boys had a hard time leaving his house, they enjoyed it so much. Our Bishop was really sweet and took a real interest in our family despite our very short stay there.

I loved how he got right down on the ground with them to play and let both boys take turns running each train. They had a blast.

We were also happy that we got a chance to see my beautiful cousin Karissa and her cutie Pie Mya and her hubby Alex (who I didn't get in a picture =(.

The day before we left Utah we got to spend a couple hours playing in the snow for the last time.

I didn't get pictures, but we had a blast playing Rock band with my friend Jenelle and her family the night before we headed home. We had to get some party'n in after all that packing up =)

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We drove all day home to AZ, just to then turn around and go on vacation =)

The very next morning we flew to California to meet up with my sister and her family to go to Disneyland. This was the very first time flying for both Tyler and Nathan, who were SO excited to finally be going on a real airplane!

The picture does not even do justice to the excitement Tyler was showing. He was so funny. Josh and I just watched them and kept laughing at how much they were enjoying every bit of it.

They even really enjoyed waiting for the bags =)

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For a long time now I had been wanting to visit Disneyland during Christmas time. I kept hearing how beautiful it was and how fun they made it. I was so excited to be going =)

It was Beautiful

Brookey LOVED the Winnie the Pooh ride, so when Her Mommy and Daddy were on another ride we took the kids on it three times in a row =). Each time it ended Brookey would say "again!" she would have made us keep going if we hadn't stopped it =)

At the hotel waiting to head back over to Disneyland for the second time that day

While we were there Josh followed through with his plan to shave everything but his mustache =) He wanted to get a reaction out of Nikki so we didn't tell anyone. She gave a great reaction =) Bruce kept saying he wanted to find some of those big cop looking shades and take pictures, but we never did find any. Those would have been great photos though =)

Brookey, Nikki, Pluto, and Bruce =)

The boys refused to get any pictures with Minnie (or any other characters) so I posed with my buddy Minnie =)

Josh is thinking "this is the best ride in the park" =) LOL

It's a Small World all decorated for Christmas

The Haunted Mansion themed as The Nightmare Before Christmas

We had a lot of fun. By the time we got home (on Christmas Eve) we were exhausted and only had a few hours before we were due to be at my parent's house for our traditional Christmas Eve Party.

From there on is a whole other post, which I will have to continue later.......... =)

Merry Christmas!

The Temple grounds were so beautiful. We chose to go on a day it had snowed because we figured it would be a beautiful sight, and it was amazing!

The Lobby of the Joseph Smith Memorial building at Christmas time.
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Nathan was pointing back and forth to the light rails on either side of us. He thought it was so amazing we were standing in between one coming and one going =)

Tyler LOVED riding the light rail

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Santa visited our Ward Christmas party in UT

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We had fun playing on a playground while it was snowing.

I just wanted to wish everyone a very Merry Christmas! I love my faithful blog readers =) I couldn't send a Christmas card to everyone, so if you didn't get one, I'm sorry =( I was lazy and didn't bother getting a lot of addresses that I wanted to, plus if I sent them to everyone I want to, it would cost a fortune! So I am posting it for all to see =). Aren't the boys cute? I couldn't find a cute, current picture of Josh and I so we didn't make the final cut......maybe next year =). I didn't even want to attempt getting a family photo, because one of us always looks bad and we are never all looking at the camera =) LOL.

I love this time of year! Despite the craziness that comes along with it, I love it!
We have all of our shopping done...finally. Now I am trying to just avoid the caos at the stores and only go when absolutely necessary. But that is not why I love this time of year, actually that is the one thing I hate about this time of year. Sometimes I just wish we could do away with the presents and shopping and just do important stuff. What I love is having a whole month when the majority of people celebrate Christ and all he did for us by coming into this world. I was thinking back on my childhood Christmases and when I thought of my best memories it always involved activities with loved ones, usually not gifts. If I didn't have pictures showing what I got each year, I don't think I would have remembered even half of the things I have gotten over the years. The things I remember best are things like watching my sister perform in the Nutcracker, then finally one year getting to be in the Nutcracker along with all my siblings, going to see temple lights on Christmas eve with my grandparents every year even though they were not members of our church, having Christmas Lunch at my Grandmas house with aunts and uncles, attending our neighbor's annual Christmas performance in their basement every year, and sneaking out of my room with my brother to try and catch Santa super early in the morning. I must admit the presents were great =) but the lasting memories did not really include presents. As a kid, Christmas is just a ton of fun, then as an adult the stress of it all begins to set in.... if you let it. I try not to let it, but it always bites me in the butt at least a little bit. I stress about getting the Christmas cards done and out in time, getting my tree up and the lights on the house, stress about what to buy for whom, how much everything is going to cost, ect, ect. You all know how that goes =). Despite the stress of the season, I still think it's a ton of fun. When all of that stress hits me the hardest I love thinking about Christ and who this season is really all about.
Josh and I took the kids to see the Christmas lights at Temple Square and it was so beautiful! the manger scenes were amazing, and the music playing outside the gates from street performers added to the whole scene. We bundled up nice and warm and just enjoyed it in 28 degree weather =) and the beauty of the temple grounds frosted in white snow and shining lights. We then walked to the light rail and got on for a couple stops. The boys thought that was the coolest thing ever! It was really cute, I'll have to upload some pictures =) But it is extremely late and I need to go to bed. I mostly just wanted to wish you a very Merry Christmas and I'm glad you, my friends and family, are in my life =)

Love you!!!!

Slacker, Computer Problems, Leaving =(

So, I'm a slacker because I have not been keeping this as up to date as I should be. But it's not totally my fault because I can not use our home computer because it is being attacked by some virus like thing and we can't get online with it. Si the only time I get on a computer is in the evening when my hubby is home with his laptop, but even then our nights have been busy, so I slack =). I hate computer problems! Especially since neither Josh nor I have any idea what to do about it =). We have to wait until we go back to AZ and let my smart brother save the day for us =).
This brings me to us leaving Utah. I am having mixed emotions.... I am happy to be going back home and being close to my family, friends, and being in my own home, but I have had such a great time here. I have LOVED the weather, loved the activities we have had time to do as a family, love being close to every store I could think of (instead of having to plan a day trip to go anywhere), loved the people in the ward we are in, I love seeing church buildings and temples pretty much everywhere =), and I have loved having a more laid back, less busy life up here. We have been keeping our life fairly calm and not crazy busy up until this point and it has been nice. I want to go home and de-clutter my life a little more. Cut down on projects and events I always feel like I must be doing. I have loved having less to deal with and stress about. I’ve had time to just be with my kids and enjoy the park or doing crafts with them
I am however really looking forward to being with our families. I have missed them and I’m pretty excited to start joining family dinners again. Coming to Utah really was a huge blessing for our family. We have had fun that we never really allowed ourselves to have, and we have grown a little closer together as a family I think. I have been really proud of myself for jumping right in and learning the area as best I could in such a short time and just getting out there on the road without worrying too much about getting lost =). That's one fear conquered, as well as driving while traveling long distances. Our drive up here was the longest I've ever driven and a first for driving on a road trip, so I'm pretty happy about that =). Anyways... yes I will miss this. It has been fun, I have learned a lot, and I am grateful for the opportunity.
I am also really excited to return because we get to go to Disneyland right after we get home! Yeah! I have been dying to see Disneyland at Christmas time and we finally get to!!!! We will get home from that trip on Christmas Eve! Talk about crazy busy huh? This will be the first time the boys have been on an airplane too! This trip is our Christmas present, New Years present, and Tyler's Birthday present =) (maybe....I'm hoping we can take him again on his B-day, cause he loves it so much...and it's logical since we have passes right?). We are going with my Sister and her family and we are so excited! We are going to be sooooooo worn out on Christmas morning! LOL =)

The pictures I promised....

This is the boys having a blast in the mud at the Van Vleet’s house on Thanksgiving.

I, not realizing they would be playing in mud dressed them in off white and khaki pants…....genius!

Mud slide!

Nathan is not quite sure what to do with his hands =)

Notice the filthy shoes? yeah....it was nice getting mud off canvas. =)



Who wants pumkin pie when there's a perfectly good mud pie outside?




Tyler being his crazy wild self =)

Luckily Grandma Van Vleet has had lots of experience in this department and could get the stains out =) Thanks Nancy! So, after the boys had their fun in the mud we threw them in the bath. Of course I added way too much bubble bath =)...at least they had fun right? =)

Got Bubbles?

Doesn't that look like fun?